New ThinkSpace Exhibit Opens November 10 at Providence Children’s Museum

PROVIDENCE, RI – ThinkSpace, a major new exhibit exploring spatial thinking, opens at Providence Children’s Museum on Saturday, November 10. This dynamic environment will invite visitors to explore, imagine, create and experiment with shape and space through hands-on play and learning experiences.

Spatial thinking is part of everyday life and is necessary to navigate, explore and survive in the world. People think spatially all the time – when tying shoes, reading maps, finding the way to the store, packing a suitcase, doing jigsaw puzzles, climbing rocks and cutting sandwiches in half – and they become better with practice. Spatial thinkers are architects designing buildings, pilots flying planes, doctors reading x-rays, plumbers installing pipes, bakers decorating cakes, geologists studying fossils and artists painting landscapes.

Spatial thinking is a powerful problem-solving tool and a key to kids’ interest and success in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. While spatial thinking develops over a lifetime, research suggests that early development of spatial thinking skills increases later achievement in math and science – and that, for young children, hands-on experiences are especially important. However, though kids learn the basics of shape and space, spatial thinking isn’t systematically taught in schools.

ThinkSpace will get Children’s Museum visitors thinking spatially with plenty of fun-filled opportunities for interactive play and exploration:

• Navigate mystery maze boxes using the senses to guide a ball through hidden twists and turns, and map the path it traveled.

ThinkSpace is supported by lead sponsor National Grid, with additional support from June Rockwell Levy Foundation.

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Providence Children’s Museum – play is powerful!

The Museum is located at 100 South Street in Providence’s Jewelry District. September through March, open Tuesday through Sunday and Monday school holidays, 9 AM to 6 PM, and selected Fridays until 8 PM. April through August, open 7 days. Museum admission is $9.00 per person; always free for Museum members. Call (401) 273-KIDS or visit www.ChildrenMuseum.org.